Combination folding bed.



S. KARPEN. COMBINATION FOLDING BED. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 27, 1914.

1,1 1 5,31 6 Patented Oct. 27, 1914.

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THE NORRIS PETES C0,. PHoTv -L!Th WASHINGTON. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SOLOMON KARPEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO S. KARPEN & 313.05.,OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

COMBINATION FOLDING BED.

Specification. of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 2'7, 1914.

Application filed January 2'7, 1914. Serial No. 814,622.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SoLoMoN KARPEN, a citizenof the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook andState of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement inCombination Folding Beds, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates particularly to combination folding beds, such assofa beds, table beds, etc. In such structures, where three mainsections connected by spacing sections are employed, it is desirable tofold the outer main section over the intermediate main section and lockit thereto before performing the next folding operation, which bringsthe intermediate main section and the outer section into folded relationwith respect to the inner main section. Heretofore, difficulty inperforming the folding and unfolding operations has frequently beenexperienced, and the folding structure has been subjected to injuriousstrains, owing to the fact that the foot-section is frequentlyimproperly locked to the intermediate-section before the second foldingoperation is performed, thus giving rise to the difficulties ofoperation and the injurious racking strains upon the bed-structure notedabove.

The primary object of the present invention is to insure proper lockingof the outer main-section with respect to the intermediate main-sectionbefore the folding of the intermediate main-section with respect to theinner or head-section can be completed. The object is preferablyaccomplished by employing a pair of safety locking levers which, whenthe bed-structure is in the open condition, lock the intermediatesection against folding with relation to the inner section till, in thefolding operation, the outer bed-section is, after being folded withrelation to the intermediate bed-section, properly locked to theintermediate section, whereupon the safety locking levers are releasedto permit folding of the intermediate main-section with relation to therear mainsection.

The invention is illustrated in its preferred embodiment in theaccompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 represents an elevational Viewof a sofa-bed having one end of the mainframe removed, the bed-structurebeing shown in a partially folded condition; Fig.

2, a broken elevational view showing the re lation of the safety lockinglevers with respect to the intermediate main-section upon which they aremounted and the adjacent inner spaclng section; and Fig. 3, a brokenperspective view illustrating the manner in which the locking-arms whichserve to securethe outer main bed-section to the intermediatemainbed-section in the folded relat1on serve to release the safetylocking-levers from engagement with the inner spacmg section to permitthe final bed-folding operation to be performed.

In the construction illustrated, A represents the main fra-mein thiscase a sofa frame-which serves as a support for the lnner bed-section;B, a seat swingingly con nected with said frame; 0, a folding bedadapted to be normally housed within the frame and beneath the seat inthe folded condition of the structure; and D, a pair ofsafety-locking-levers mounted on the intermediate main bed section andadapted to prevent the completion-0f the operation of the folding of thebed until the outer main bed section is properly locked to theintermediate main bed-section in the manner shown in Fig. 1.

The frame A may be of any suitable.

form. It is illustrated in the form of a sofa-frame, comprising endstandards 1 connected together by a box 2 and equipped with a back 3.

The seat B is connected, by links 4, to the front portions of theend-standards l of the main frame, and is adapted to swing from theinverted position in front of the frame to an upright positionsurmounting the box 2.

The folding-bed, in the form shown, comprises a rear main section, 5,which usually constitutes a head-section; an intermediate main-section6; an outer main-section 7, which usually constitutes 'a foot-section;an inner spacing section 8 linking together the main sections 5 and 6;and an outer spacing section 9 linking together the main sections 6 and7.

The section 5 is connected, by elbowlinks 10, to the box 2; the section8 is joined by pivots 11 to brackets or hangers 12 connected with thepivotal portion of the seat; the elbow portions of the links 10 areconnected by links 13, with the bracket-members 12; and the intermediatemain-section 6 is connected, by links 1 1, to the swinging edge-portionof the seat, which, in the sofaform of the device, constitutes the rearportion of the seat. The seat is shown provided with folding legs 15operated by levers 16 through the medium of the links 1 1; as is nowunderstood in the art.

The bars comprising the spacing section 9 are joined by apivotally-connected truss 17 in a manner well understood in the art. Theouter or foot-section 7 of the bed is equipped with legs 18 which arejoined, by pivots 19, tothe foot-section and actuated by links 20connected with the outer spacing-section 9. The legs 18 are connected inthe'usual manner by an arched brace 21. The legs are also equipped withlocking-arms 22 provided with notches 23 adapted to engage lockingstuds2l with which the intermediate mainsection is equipped. Pivotedlocking-pawls 25, which are gravity-operated, may be employed to engageshoulders 26 at the extremities of the arms 22. The auxiliary lockingdevices 25 come into play when the section 6 is swung to the verticalposition in the folding operation, as is known.

The safety locking levers, which are here shown as anti-folding devices,may comprise bars 27 joined by pivots 28 to the bars comprising theintermediate main bed-section 6, the bars 27 having their inner endsequipped with inwardly-turned lateral projections or lugs, 29, andhaving their outer ends equipped with outwardly-turned lateralprojections or lugs, 30. The lugs 29 are adapted to engage shoulders 31with which the bars comprising the inner spacing-section 8 are providedat their outer ends. Normally, the members 29 rest upon the uppersurface of the bars comprising the section 6 and engage the shoulders 31in the manner shown in Fig. 2.

When the foot-section 7 is folded over the intermediate main-section 6and the lockingarms 22 are properly brought into locking engagement withthe studs 24:, the upper walls of the slots 23 engage the cam-lugs 30,of the. safety locking-levers 27 and swing the locking-lugs 29 out ofengagement with the shoulders 31, thus leaving the structure free to becompletely folded in a manner well understood in the art.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that I preferablyemploy an anti-folding locking lever which is thrown to the inoperativeor released posit-ion by the folded-section locking device when thelatter is brought into the locking position. Thus, by insuring properlocking of the outer sections in the folded relation, I obviate thegreat annoyance to the operator and the racking strains upon thestructure, which are incidental to an attempt to complete the foldingoperation and afterward the opening operation, where there occurs a cureby Letters Patent, is:

only, and no undue limitation should be 79 understood therefrom, but theappended cla-imsashould be construed as broadly as permissible lI1-Vl6W, of the prior art.

l/Vhalt I regard as new, and desire to se- 1. The combinationwith asupporting 7 frame, of a folding-bed adapted to be housed in foldedcondition in said frame, said bed comprising a plurality of mainsections and a plurality of spacing-sections connecting saidmain-sections, means for locking the outer main-sections in foldedrelation, and an anti-folding device adapted to be moved to theinoperative position in the operation ofbringing said locking means intolocking engagement.

2. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination withsupporting means, of a folding-bed comprising an inner main-section, anintermediate main-section, an outer main-section, and spacing sectionsconnecting the intermediate section to the other sections, means forlocking the outer main-section in'folded relation upon the intermediatemain-section, and an anti-folding device adapted to be thrown to theinoperative position in the operation of bringing said locking meansinto locking position.

3. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination withsupporting means, ofa folding bed structure comprising a plurality offoldably-related bed-sections, locking means for securing one section infolded relation to another section, and an anti-folding device operativeto prevent complete folding of the structure and adapted to be thrown tothe inoperative position in the operation of bringing said locking meansinto locking engagement.

1. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination withsupporting means, of a folding-bed structure comprising a head-section,an intermediate section, a foot-section, and spacing sections 5connecting the same, of locking means adapted to secure the foot-sectionin folded relation on the intermediate section, and an anti-foldingdevice mounted on the intermediate section and serving to preventpremature completion of the folding operation, said anti-folding deviceadapted to be thrown to the inoperative position in the operation ofbringing said locking means into locking engagement.

5. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination withsupporting means, of a folding-bed structure comprising a head-section,an intermediate-section, a foot-section, and spacing sections connect-130 ing same, of locking means adapted to secure the foot-section infolded relation to the intermediate-section, and an anti-folding levermounted on the intermediatesection and adapted to prevent prematurecompletion of the folding operation, said lever adapted to be thrown tothe inoperative po sition in the operation of bringing said lockingmeans into locking engagement.

6. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination ofsupporting means of a folding-bed structure comprising a head-section,an intermediate-section, a foot-section, and spacing sections connectingsame, locking-means serving to secure the foot-section in foldedrelation to the intermediate-section, and anti-folding levers mounted onthe intermediate-section and normally engaging the inner spacing-sectionin the open condition of the structure, said levers equipped with meansadapted to be engaged by said locking means in the operation of bringingthe locking means into locking position, thereby throwing theantifolding levers to the inoperative position.

7 In a structure of the character set forth, the combination withsupporting means of a plurality of foldably-related bed-sections,locking means for securing two of said sections together in foldedrelation, and. an anti-folding device operative toprevent prematurecompletion of the folding operation and adapted to be released by saidlocking-means in the operation of bringing the locking means intolocking engagement.

8. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination withsupporting means, of a plurality of foldably-related bed-sections,locking-means operative to secure one section in folded relation toanother section, and anti-folding levers mounted on one bed-section andoperative to prevent premature completion of the folding operation andadapted to be thrown to the inoperative position in the operation ofbringing said locking-means into locking engagement.

9. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination withsupporting means, of a folding-bed comprising a head section, anintermediatesection, a foot-section and spacing-sections connecting thesame, of locking-arms adapted to secure the foot-section in foldedrelation to the intermediate-section, and anti-folding levers 0perativeto prevent premature completion of the folding operation, said leversmounted on said intermediate-section and adapted to be engaged by saidlocking-arms and thrown to the inoperative position in the operation ofbringing the locking-arms into locking position.

10. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination of afolding-bed comprising a head-section, an intermediate-section, afoot-section, and spacing sections connecting the same, folding-legsconnected with the foot-section, locking-arms carried by said legs,locking members carried by said intermediate-section adapted to beengaged by said locking-arms, and an anti-folding lever operative toprevent premature completion of the folding operation, said levermounted on said intermediate section and adapted to be thrown to theinoperative position by one of said locking-arms in the operation ofbringing the same into locking engagement.

11. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination of aframe, and a folding-bed comprising a head-section movably mounted insaid frame, a swinging member connected with said frame, an innerspacing-section pivotally mounted on said swinging member, anintermediate main bed-section, a foot-section, an outer spacing-sectionconnecting the foot-section to the intermediate main-section, lockingmeans serving to secure the foot-section in folded relation to theintermediate mainsection, and anti-folding levers mounted on theintermediate main-section and adapted to be thrown to the inoperativeposition by said locking means when said locking means are brought intolocking engagement.

A. J FLOYD, E. D. STULE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

